New research tools available to physiologists working in academia and industry have lead to major breakthroughs in our understanding of physiological mechanisms. The college, like many medium-sized, liberal arts schools, offers a very good program in traditional physiology, but offers courses that provide only limited opportunities for gaining hands-on experience using these modern physiological techniques. Thus, many of the graduates lack a thorough education in physiology that is necessary to succeed in graduate and professional programs. The Department of Biology is cmrrecting this curriculum deficiency by revising its current Comparative Physiology course to offer a strong laboratory component that emphasizes modern physiological approaches to basic biological questions. The new physiology laboratory concentrates on providing practical experience for biology majors and accommodates students with broad interests and backgrounds. The laboratory uses a goal-oriented approach, with students working cooperatively in small groups to answer a basic biological question. The student teams formulate hypotheses, develop protocols from the primary research literature, and conduct the experiments that they design. Students completing this course should display an increased interest and curiosity toward biology and be equipped with skills essential for any area of the biological sciences. The course is intended to enhance instruction in upper-level biology courses, prepare students for independent research programs, and serve as models for similar efforts at other undergraduate institutions.
